NHS recruitment process transformation programme
Recruitment is a vital function of a Trust.
In many Trusts the recruitment process often takes too long, is expensive
and places potential risks to the trust and its reputation.
Our detailed and comprehensive process reviews have provided many Trusts with big improvements enabling
them to provide a best practice recruitment process with improved levels of quality and compliance
and importantly, providing big annual savings.
Transformation programme
The programme enables Trusts to achieve best practice to:
- policy
- structure of the recruitment team
- procedures
- processes
- technology
- training
As specialist consultants, Stepchange have supported NHS Trusts in the
implementation of recruitment process transformation, with dramatic results.
Specialised Project Management
Stepchange is able to bring unique project and change management experience gained from
delivering improvements to the recruitment process for many NHS Trusts.
Our tailored programmes are based in Prince 2 principles and our specialist
knowledge includes:
- NHS Recruitment - terminology and practice
- Medical Staffing processes
- Bank and felxible staffing processes
- Pre-employment check compliance
- Specialist training and support for recruitment administrators
- Support for recruitment team management
The structured approach ensures that the expected outcomes are delivered by managing, monitoring and reporting progress throughout the project. In particular Stepchange’s experience in providing implementation of recruitment improvements will ensure that realistic goals are set in planning the programme. This will also ensure that the momentum generated from the review is maintained with real benefits being rapidly achieved as a result.
Compliance and Quality
With recent events in the news, Trust compliance with statutory policy, legislation and
conducting thorough pre-employment checks is under close scrutiny.
Ensuring the Trust is meeting its obligations can impose considerable demands on the recruitment administrators and
the recruitment process, leading to longer recruitment times, lost candidates and reducing staff morale.
Our specialist knowledge enables Trusts to meet these ever increasing demands whilst improving efficiency
and reducing the time to hire.
Rapid implementation
The recommendations from our process reviews include quick wins and process improvements that can be rapidly implemented. Our experience enables us to help Trusts get "Buy in" from hiring and recruiting Managers, recruitment and resourcing administrators as well as Trust executives and managers. To help improve the performance of recruitment teams we bring:
- Practical knowledge of best use of NHS Jobs
- Tips and quick wins
- Knowledge of making the best use of existing technology
- Standard operating procedures
- Best practice policies and procedures
- Techniques to improve candidate attendance at interview
Reduce time taken to recruit
Reducing the recruitment cycle time is often the primary goal for many Trusts.
Our reviews and analysis of Trust processes are compared to our benchmark NHS Trust recruitment Process
to quickly highlight where improvements in the cycle time can be 
made. Using Lean tools and techniques
the focus is on the key time consuming steps:
- Requests and requisition to hire
- Approval
- Adertising
- Shortlisting
- Interview set up
- References
- Pre-emplyment checks
- Hiring, onboarding and induction
Standard operating procedures and templates
We have developed standard operating procedures for the NHS Recruitment Process.
These templates can be easily adapted for indivudual Trusts.
When combined with the iGrafx process maps they provide an invaluable resource for recruitment and resourcing
teams enabling a transformation of the recruitment process from a transaction processing function
to a service delivery resource.
- Practical knowledge of best use of NHS Jobs
- Tips and quick wins
- Knowledge of making the best use of existing technology
- Standard operating procedures
- Best practice policies and procedures
- Techniques to improve candidate attendance at interview
NHS Pre-employment checks
NHS Employers has published new guidance for the completion of pre-employment checks with six standards that will need to be met in time for the Healthcare Commission's assessment for the 2008-09 annual review.
- Verification of identity checks
- Right to work checks
- Registration and qualification checks
- Employment history and reference checks
- Criminal record checks
- Occupational health checks
The new pre-employment checks may add considerably to the burden on your existing recruitment team and add to the challenges of providing a best practice recruitment service.
Getting the process design right and making the best use of available technology will ensure that compliance standards are met in a fast, efficient and effective manner.
Stepchange specialise in the NHS Recruitment Process and have delivered process reviews and improvement programmes to many NHS Trusts.
The Stepchange programme using iGrafx Lean Six Sigma software includes a full analysis of your current process. With our specialist knowledge of the NHS recruitment process we have developed the Process Improvement Toolkit providing Trusts with a roadmap to transform recruitment from reactive transaction processing to a delivering proactive service delivery.
The compelling business case for improving the recruitment process combined with the implementation of robust procedures mean that the Trust, the patients, the public and the NHS employees themselves can have confidence in the staff who treat them and the colleagues with whom they work.
For more information on the new NHS Pre-employment checks follow the link to the NHS Employers web site.
NHSemployers.org/employmentchecks
